


I'll Be There for You

by skargasm



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Grief/Mourning, LJ Prompt, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 10:08:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1222312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skargasm/pseuds/skargasm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was feeling a tad melancholy—my eldest daughter was supposed to be coming to visit as a combined birthday/Mother’s Day thing but unfortunately the plans have fallen through. So my brain came up with this—kinda wish I had my own Derek to wrap me in his arms and make me feel a little better. Title is taken from the Bon Jovi song ‘I’ll Be There for You’ which is one of my emo whining songs and seemed appropriate.</p></blockquote>





	I'll Be There for You

>“It’s really hard to explain.” Instead of being heavy or even judgemental, the silence was encouraging. It said a lot that he had learned to decipher his silences now, although that had been easier than figuring out all of the things his eyebrows could say. “I guess normally I have time to prepare for it, you know? The weeks leading up to it give me a chance to get ready—shore myself up. But with everything that’s been going on in the real world like college applications, and that crap with the witch running around hexing people—I just—“

“Feel like a hot air balloon that’s been forcibly deflated?” 

“Are you saying that normally I’m full of hot air? That my ass looks as big as a balloon?” His attempts at humour fell flat but then even he admitted that they weren’t especially good. He wasn’t feeling particularly amusing—in fact, the deflated dirigible analogy was surprisingly apt. Or maybe not so surprising—after all, if anyone could understand it would be Derek. “Sorry. I use humour to deflect pain.” The raised eyebrows said ‘tell me something I don’t already know idiot’ and he almost smiled. “I can’t believe I forgot. I can’t believe I forgot about her—I’ve never—I—“

“Stiles, you didn’t _forget_ —you never will. And you didn’t forget her anniversary—you just didn’t remember until now.” He wanted to shrug off the arms enfolding him, push away from the broad chest he was leaning against and pretend the dark patch on the pale grey Henley wasn’t from his tears. “I remember the first time I forgot the date—that **we** forgot the date. We were visiting with a pack in New York—Laura and the eldest son had been friends at college. We went out for a run with them, were just enjoying being with a pack again, feeling safe even though they weren’t _our_ pack. We were there for nearly two weeks when we realised that we’d forgotten the anniversary of the fire was due.” 

“Oh”. He could well imagine how that had made Derek feel—he carried his guilt like a second skin and to actually forget enough to have a good time must have flayed his conscience. 

“Yeah. Fortunately Laura got us out of there before I completely lost it but it was a close thing.” Derek’s voice was a low murmur and Stiles realised that somehow he’d been manoeuvred onto the bed and into a little spoon position without him realising it. Sometimes he hated how easily Derek could distract him just by sharing but the comfort of being held close, Derek’s lips pressing gently against his head made it all easier to bear. 

“We’re meeting the sheriff at 11 a.m. tomorrow—he said he’d bring the flowers.” Just that sentence almost set him off crying again but Stiles managed to hold back the tears, biting his lip momentarily before replying.

“Thanks Derek—I know you don’t really like talking to him.”

“It’s not that—it’s just—he always sounds like he wants to shoot me because I’m sleeping with you.” That made him give a watery giggle—there was something about his big bad werewolf being afraid of his father that always made him laugh. Then he realised Derek had used the word ‘we’—had said that they would be meeting Dad at the cemetery. 

“So you’re coming too? With us?” He wasn’t sure if he wanted Derek actually at the graveside—sometime soon he wanted to introduce his Sourwolf to his mother but the timing wasn’t right for the next day.

“If you want me there. Actually, I might pay a visit to the family plot—maybe say hi to my Mother. I’ll be close by—all you have to do is call.” They lay in silence, quietly comforting each other. There were many things that made them good together, but Stiles treasured this almost more than anything else. This was a side to Derek that not everyone got to see—the side that could make him feel better about almost forgetting the anniversary of his mother’s death; the side that would talk to his father when Stiles was a sobbing mess, blaming himself and practically incoherent with grief at his perceived neglect. Closing his eyes, Stiles allowed himself to relax, knowing that Derek would keep him safe.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I was feeling a tad melancholy—my eldest daughter was supposed to be coming to visit as a combined birthday/Mother’s Day thing but unfortunately the plans have fallen through. So my brain came up with this—kinda wish I had my own Derek to wrap me in his arms and make me feel a little better. Title is taken from the Bon Jovi song ‘I’ll Be There for You’ which is one of my emo whining songs and seemed appropriate.


End file.
